Chromidotilapia kingsleyae
| Chromidotilapia kingsleyae | ||||||||||||
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Drawing of the species from the first description by George Albert Boulenger. |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Chromidotilapia kingsleyae | ||||||||||||
| Boulenger , 1898 |
Chromidotilapia kingsleyae is a species of cichlid thatoccursin Gabon in the Ogooue catchment area. Cichlids outside of this distribution area identified as Chromidotilapia kingsleyae are probably specimens of the related species Chromidotilapia mamonekenei and Chromidotilapia melaniae . Chromidotilapia kingsleyae is the type species of the genus Chromidotilapia .
features
The fish species can reach a total length of 16.5 cm, but only adult males reach this length; females remain about a third smaller and have shorter fins. The body height is 26 to 39% of the standard length. The tail stalk is usually higher than it is long. The fish have a pointed snout that takes up 27 to 46% of the length of the head. They are of an inconspicuous, brownish basic color, the belly is lighter. In stressful situations, two blackish, interrupted longitudinal stripes can be seen on the sides of the body, in brood-nurturing females sometimes a few indistinct transverse ligaments. The longitudinal stripes can occasionally also be continuous. The scales of the males have darker edges. Cheeks and gill covers shine yellow-green. The soft-rayed section of the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the caudal fin of the males are provided with small red and light blue spots. In the females they are difficult to see or completely absent. The hard-rayed section of the dorsal fin and the upper part of the soft-rayed section, sometimes also the upper part of the caudal fin, is colored silvery white in both sexes. The dorsal and caudal fin have a red border in both sexes, which is more noticeable in the males. On the first gill arch there are 15 to 19 gill rakes . The caudal fin is shaped differently depending on the population and can be spade-shaped, rounded or slightly forked.
- Fins formula : dorsal XIV – XV / 10–12, anals III / 6–8.
- Scale formula : SL 24–32.
Way of life
Chromidotilapia kingsleyae is common and there is a population in almost every body of water in its range. The cichlids feed omnivorously . They are polygamous, ovophilic mouthbrooders in which the female takes care of the brood. The fry leave the maternal mouth for the first time 13 to 16 days after spawning and are then protected by the female for about a month.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Chromidotilapia kingsleyae on Fishbase.org (English)
- ↑ a b c d e Melanie Stiassny, Guy Teugels & Carl D. Hopkins: The Fresh and Brackish Water Fishes of Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa, Volume 2 ISBN 978-9074-7522-06 , pages 311-313.
- ↑ a b Anton Lamboj: The cichlids of western Africa. Publisher: Natur und Tier, 2006, ISBN 386-659000-8 , pages 142-143.